Knitted fabric.



B. T. STEBER.

KNITTBD FABRIC.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 2s, 1907.

Patented May 4, 1909.

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KNITTBD FABRIC.

APPLIOATION FILED srfnza. 1907.

Invenor: Bernard Tiebez? l B. T. STBBER.

KNITTBD FABRIC.

APPLICATION HLBD SEPT. 28, 1907.

K Patllted May 4, 19,09.'

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BERNARD r. sTEBnR, or Urrea, New Yoan.

KNITTED FABRIC To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD T. STEBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Utica, in the county of Oneida, State of N ew York, have invented an Improvement .in Knitted Fabrics, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to knitted fabrics, and it has for its purpose, in the specific embodiment of the invention here presented, the production of a fabric that is sufliciently open to afford a free passage of air, and thus be well adapted for summer use, and yet one which at the same time is sul'liciently absorbent to meet the needs of such use.

In order that the principles of the invention may be readily understood, I have disclosed certain forms or embodiments thereof in the accompanying drawings, it being understood, however, that my invention is in no wise restricted to the types herein indicated.

Referring to the drawings-l `igure 1 represents the back side of a fabric embodying my invention; and Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are similar views of other forms of fabric likewise embodying my invention.

In each of the forms of my invention herein illust-rated, I have represented the fabric as one that may be knitted upon that type of machine disclosed in my Patent No. 810,5754, Jan. 23, 1906, it being understood that in knitting the present fabric, I remove from the machine or render ino erative the yarn engaging hooks 16, since t ie purpose of the present invention is not to provide a knitted fabric having a fleecing face but one particularly adapted for summer wear.

INhile my invention is )articular-ly applicable to that type of fabric that may be knitted upon the machine shown in my said patent, which. fabric may, except as hereinafter described, be similar to that shown in Fig. 2 of my Patent No. $65,279, Sept. 3, 1907, yet I may embody my invention in other types of fabrics than that referred to. I find, however, that the type of fabric disclosed in Fig. Z of the said Patent No. 865,279 is well adaptedA for summer wear, owing to the open or mesh like character thereof. A fabric knitted as illustrated in Fig. 2 of my said Patent No. 865,279 and formed throughout of a fine, single ply soft, spun yarn, such,for

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 28, 1907.

Patented May 4, 1909.

Serial No. 394,970.

an ideal structure so far as lightness and the open or mesh like character thereof is conce1-ned, but not only is such a yarn very tender, so that in the knitting of the garment frequent breakages of the yarn occur and in use the yarns of the garment are liable quickly to rupture, but the absorptive properties, which are highly necessary in a garment for summer use, exist only to a minimum extent in a fabric constructed throughout of such a yarn.

In order to meet the exigency above stated, I introduce into the fabric at suitable points a heavier yarn having greater absorptive properties. Considering that form of my invention wherein the fabric is knitted upon a circular machine, a fabric havingl such yarn or yarns introducedwill present relatively heavier annular ridges between which exist the clearly defined diamond-shaped meshes characteristic of that type of fabric shown in Fig. 2 of my said lPatent No. 865,279, when such type of fabric is employed. In the use of ordinary cotton yarn, however, I have discovered in the course of my experiments that it is substantially impossible, without very frequent breakage, to introduce a yarn heavy enough to have a full absorptive value desired into a fabric otherwise composed olf a `line or tender yarn, this being true whether or not the fabric be of the particular type shown in Fig. 2 of my said patent. That is to say, I cannot for the reasons given satisfactorily form a garment of ordii'iary yarn, in which the predoniinating yarn is, for example, a tender yarn, such as No. L.lO cotton yarn, and the ahsorptive yarn is No. 10 cotton yarn by inter-knitting one of said yarns directly into the other. This will be appreciated when it is understood that if a course or courses of loops be formed upon a line, tender yarn, such as No. 40 cotton yarn, the introiluction of loops of a heavy yarn directly into the loops of such tender yarn subject the latter to such strain as to rupture the same. Then again, in introducing such loops of heavy yarn it is necessary to crowd through each loop of tender yarn the needle and the heavy absorptive yarn. This is apt so to distend the loops of tender yarn as to break the same. Notwithstanding this difficulty and in order to meet the demand for a light summer garment of open character having heavy absorptive yarn incorporated therein, I have, after much exexample,asNo.40 cotton yarn,would present l perimenting and in the preferred embodimenty of my invention, introduced yarns of andpoint to both sets of needles a somewhat graduated sizes, as will be more specifically described in connection'with the drawings Referring to Fig. 1, I have therein repre- 5 sented a fabric knitted from a plurality'of',` threads, each thread or series of threadsl forming independent wales alternately ar'- 'f ranged. the needles of the machine in the manner fully disclosed in my Patent Noa-810,578, wherein the needles are arranged in two groups, one group. comprising every other needle, andthe other groupcomprising the needles alternating with such needles. rPluis,-

viewing. Fig-1, ofthe siX wales of loopsthere presented, the wales 1,11, 1 will-bevformed byneedles of one set and thewales 2, 2,12, will be formed by needles of the otherset.- It

'will be apparent that if the fabric beA regarded as knitted from two sets of yarns one supplied to each set of needles, eachloopof each wale'from the yarnof one set includesa portion of the corresponding` yar-n of the other set that connects the two neighboring loops formed from such other yarn and that the connecting portions ofY the loops form four sided and substantially diamondshaped mesnesA upon theback ofthe fabric which thus exhibits upon one face thereof parallel, longitudinal wales alternately of different yarns, and onltheother face diamond-shapedmeshes or reticulations formed by the connecting legs of the loops. Viewinglfig. 1,l the loops are indicatedV at 8 and` tlie'so-called` diamond-shaped meshes or reticulated openings ate.

applicable to types of fabrics otherwise knitted they are particularly applicable to a fabric of such open character as that herein shown but which is found wanting for sumv` mer use because ofthe minimizedextentE to which absorptive properties eXist therein.V

In order to ,knit such form of fabric as is illustrated in Fig. 1, a machine such-as shown in my Patent No. 810,578 may be employed,`

the yarn engaging hooks 16 being 4removed or rendered inoperative as previously stated and the yarn feeds beingv so arranged andv supplied respectivelyv with the different (3U-understood and being displacedtherefromy I so feed vertically as clearly represented. the No. 410 yarn to the two set's of needles as to form preferably only a single` complete course of loops upon' all the ii'eedles ,from'suchNo.4

40yarn, and introduce at the proper period It will-be apparent that 'while the principles of my inventionare This may beV done by arrangingf heavier yarn, such as No. 28 cotton yarn, represented atB', bin said figure, and preferably yknit a single complete course upon all the needles therewith, so that the loops of the heavier yarn are drawn through the loops of theNo. elO'yarn. I in due cour'seintroduce upon both` sets of needles at the proper period and point a still heavier grade of yarn as, for example, No; 16 cotton yarnyas repre- 7 sented at C, c, and knit preferably one coniplete course uponall the needles therefrom, so that the lloops of: the said yarn aredrawn t-hroughtheloops of the No; 28 yarn. I in due courseintroduce aheavy yarn', having the full; absorptive properties desired, such ,y for example, as No. 10 cotton yarn;A whichV may be knitted upon all-tlie Yneedles as represented at'D", CZ in said-figure, sothattheloops thereof are drawn throughthe loops of the No. 16 yarn; Preferably, Iformenlyasin# gle complete course upon all the needles frein suchheavy yarni and suitably reintroduce No. 1-6'yarn, as represented-at C, c,.andthen in=succession remt-reduce No. 28 andfblo.` 40

yarn so as toforina'single complete course from each of saidyarns, as indicatedat Bf, t and A, @respectively In'this manner theA No. 40 cotton-yarnfis not subjected at' once to the heavy strainv ofl the-Nm 10 yarnbut suchflat-ter yarn is intreduced'after such suecessive gr-adationsas may befounddesirableand after having introduced. such heavy yarnof full absorptive property I preferably introduce the tender No. 40y yarn onlyl after 100 grading back to the saine inthe manner described.

In the remaining guresof the drawings IA have indicated other for-ins of the invention. IiiFig. 2', for example, I introduce upon'all 105 the needles a tender yarn, such as-vNo.v 40 cotton yarn, and-as represented-at E, e, following which-in the manner already described Ii introduce such a yan1-as No. 28 cotton yarn and as indicated at F, y". Thi'sfin turnpis 110 succeeded by such' a yarn'as llo.- 16 cotton yarn andrepresented at- Gfg, to be in turn replaced by the heavy yarn, such-as. No.1()i cotton yarn, as indicatedat- H-,=7L. Thustheheavy, fully absorptive yarn has-beentint'ro- 115 duced after thel desired gradations in: themanner described iny connection with Fig. f1.

At` this point, however-,I may at once -rein troduce the lIo. 4() yarn, as represented atl 15 c, in the succeeding course,A following. 120 which are successively.introduced No. 218 yarn, as indicated at -F,f, No; i-yarn, as represented at G, 9,-',andtheheavyNo1-Of yarn, as representedv at. H, L. In this'mane ner I do notdraw-the loopsfoftheheavy ilo. 1G yarnsdirectly through those of the tender No 40 yarn, but may, under proper condi# tions,introduce the loops of( such tendervNo.-A 40 yarn into the loops ofthe heavy No.1() yarn.y Ifl very strong: yarn be used, such, for

ekaniple as linen, which I find I may readily employ in knitting upon that type of machine disclosed in mysaid Patent No. 810,578, or two or three ply cotton yarn, I may directly introduce a heavy, fully absorptive yarn into the loops of a very much lighter yarn. Thus in Fig. 3 is represented a :fabric which may, for example, be formed from lisle thread, and in which if desired two complete courses may be knitted from afine yarn, as in dicated at I, i, I, i, in said ligure, following which yarn I introduce a heavy yarn at J, y', after which I introduce the line yarn I, fi, as represented for the desired number of courses. In such a fabric as that illustrated in Fig. 3 it will be apparent that the heavy annular ridge contrasts even more strongly with the intermediate portions of the fabric than is the case in Fig. 1, in which the said heavy ridge is approached and receded from by gradations.

As represented in Fig. 4, I may, in the case of very strong yarn such as above referred to, introduce a line yarn u on all the needles as represented at K, 7c, K, if, and then, upon one set of needles, introduce a heavy, fully absorptive yarn as represented at L, and, upon the other set of needles, introduce an intermediate sized yarn, as represented at Z, after which I may at once directly reintroduce the 'fine yarn K, lc as represented. It will be app arent that not only in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 but also in that shown in each of the other figures of the drawings, I may introduce ayarn of one size or strength upon one of the sets of needles and a yarn of another size or strength upon the other set of needles to make a single complete course upon all the needles.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a fabric in which I preferably first introduce upon both sets of needles a tender yarn, such as represented at M, m, following preferably a single course of which I introduce a somewhat heavier yarn, as represented at N, a, upon all the needles and then introduce upon one or both sets of needles, and as herein shown upon both sets of needles, two sets of respectively parallel yarns, as represented at O, P, and o, p, one of which parallel yarns of each set may be a very heavy yarn and the other a light yarn, the combination of which it is apparent will supply an exceedingly heavy and fully absorptive yarn. Before intro ducing the yarns M, m, I may introduce eX- ceedingly tender yarns Il, l', which will be reintroduced at the proper point.

In Fig. 6 I have represented a fabric wherein I may first introduce a light but strong yarn, such as represented at Q, g, for the desired number of courses, following which I introduce upon one set of needles only a heavy yarn, such as represented at R., the needles of the other set still knitting with be reintroduced upon the needles of th(` virst set as Represented at It will be apparent that the references .in the specification to cotton yarn and to particular sizes or strengths of cotton yarn are by waji of example merely, and that l am in no wise limited thereby, inasmuch as any desired material ma;v be employed, or, indeed, comliinations of material in such desired sequence or Yvariation as may be considered desirable and which would be within the scope of my invention. lt will 'further be apparent that man)r combinations or variations of the fabrics represented herein may be effected.

Although I find it highlj,V desirable to approach the introduction of a heavy yarn by successive gradations and to recede from such introduction in a similar manner, yet my invention is not limited thereto, llaving particular reference to the open or reticulated type of fabric disclosed in lf ig. 2 of my said Patent No. $65,279, I consider 'my self the lirst to recognize the desirability of introducing into the fabric a material that imparts that absorptivc property largel \r lacking in a garment constructed such as that disclosed in the said figure when made throughout of a very light yarn.

llaving thus described my invention, I desire it to be understood that although I have employed specific terms they are used in a generic and descriptive sense merely and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

1. A knitted fabric having one or more open courses of .line yarn and one or more close courses of heavy yarn, the said courses being of low and high absorptive powers respectively and separated in both directions longitudinall'j,r of the fabric by zones composed of complete courses' of yarns of a plurality of grades of strength.

2. A fabric knit from two sets of yarns, all the knit loops of which appear in Wales upon one face, loops of each yarn being drawn through loops of its kind only, a course or courses being formed from a Vline yarn of each set of low absorptive power and a course or courses being formed from a heavy yarn of cach set of high absorptive power, said course or courses of ltine and heavy 'yarns respectively being separated in at least one direction lengthwise of the fabric by a course or courses of yarn Vfrom each set and of intermediate strength.

3. A fabric knit 'from two sets of yarns, all the knit loops of which appear in wales upon one face, loops of each yarn being drawn through loops of its kind only, a course or courses being formed from a line yarn of cach set of low absorptivc power and a course or courses being formed from a the fine yarn g, which may, after one course, l heavy yarn of each set of high absor tive power, seid course or courses of line and heavy yarns respectively being seperated in both directions lengthwise of the fabric e course or courses of yarn troni each set and ot intermediate strength.

4. A fabric knit from two sets o1" yarns, ell the knit loops of which appear in Wales in one fece, loops or each yarn being drawn through loops of its kind only7 e course or courses being formed vfrein a line )Fern of each set oi" lov: absorptive power and e course or courses being 'formed troni zi heav;v yarn of each set ol high ebsorptive power, said course or courses of line an d heavy `Yarns respectivelg7 being seperated in :both vdirecconiposedot yarns from both sets, there being it pluralityv oi fferns 1n said Zonesv of differing 'from each. other in strength.

neme to this specification, in the presence of l two subscribing' Witnesses.

BERNARDr T. STEBER.

1v`\."'itnesses:

AGNES M. GEARY, SYLVESTER J. ScHoLL.

tions longit-udinellj,T ofthefabricv'by. alone A each set, said pluralitjy of yarns of each setV In testimony whereof, I have signed my 

